HD Notebook

The December sire evaluations are ready for your review. We have created lists for all seven breeds. In the Holsteins, the Top 100 bulls for Net Merit are listed. All bulls must be in the top 40 percentile for Net Merit to be listed in the top lists for Fluid Merit, Cheese Merit, udders, feet and legs, productive life, somatic cell score, pregnancy rate, conception rate, and sire calving ease. Read more

Chinese milk production will reach 67 billion pounds in 2011, up 5 percent from 2010. This is among the forecasts of a USDA Foreign Ag Service GAIN report (Global Agricultural Information Network). Read more

One way that we at Hoard's Dairyman stay up to date on the newest research and tools is to subscribe to extension, research, and producer group newsletters. We gladly pass these newsletters around our editorial office to learn about the latest in dairy research. Just recently, we received the current newsletter from the Northeast Dairy Producers Association. Read more

It is December 7 and sire summary information has been released. It used to be a really exciting time when there were only two sire summaries per year, as the momentum would build in January and July. In my youth, several A.I. representatives were in the yard with their new information and full of enthusiasm soon after the information became official. Read more

As a group, the Hoard Guernsey herd had outstanding feet and leg scores, averaging 81.86 points on 342 cows at the most recent classification. There are a number of reasons for their solid feet and legs: some is genetic, some is the facilities, but a lion’s share can be attributed to a diligent hoof-trimming program and the steady use of footbaths by the Hoard Farm crew headed up by Jason Yurs. Read more

This Tuesday, USDA released its monthly Milk-Feed Price Ratio, which was 2.22 for November, down notably from October's 2.4o. The ratio was 2.26 last November. (The Milk-Feed Price Ratio reflects the pounds of a 16 percent-mixed dairy ration equal to the value of 1 pound of milk.) The drop in the ratio for November came as a result of a lower milk price and higher feed costs. Read more

While dairy operations become more efficient and populations grow, the objective is to see consumption of dairy products increase, which ensures a strong long-term demand for our nutrient-rich products. Read more